


More than Words

by ohayohimawari



Series: Romance of the Retired Kage [6]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Awkward Romance, Cute, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Event Fic, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Idiots in Love, POV Hatake Kakashi, POV Terumi Mei, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Slice of Life, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Sweet, Team as Family, kakamei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-15 16:50:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18673645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohayohimawari/pseuds/ohayohimawari
Summary: Kakashi and Mei reach an important milestone in their developing relationship.Part VI of the Romance of the Retired Kage series.JoinThe Kakashi Lounge Discord ServerTo be a member, you must be:-at least 16 years old-able to play nice with others in a multishipping community





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [TipsyRaconteur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TipsyRaconteur/pseuds/TipsyRaconteur) for having beta'd this fic! I appreciate all of the input, suggestions, and flailing she provided to me. <3
> 
> The rest of this fic will be posted on the days of the Tumblr KakaMei Event on May 5-6 2019.
> 
> I do not own these characters; I've had a wonderful time exploring them.

“There’s no reason for you to be nervous, Mei. You already know Naruto, and I’m sure you’ve at least met some of the others.”

“Yes, but,” Mei wrung her hands together in front of her as she sighed and continued to walk beside Kakashi. “I _attacked_ one of the others.”

“No one’s going to hold that against you,” Kakashi chuckled, transferring their blanket over to the arm that carried their picnic basket as well. He covered Mei’s fidgeting hands with his newly freed one. “We’ve all attacked him.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Mei softly replied, clasping Kakashi’s hand with one of hers. “I know how important they are to you and I want to make a good impression.”

“You’ll be able to do that without trying.” Kakashi squeezed her hand gently to reassure her.

“Kakashi-sensei! We found a great spot over here!”

Kakashi looked up in the direction of Naruto’s voice. “He really doesn’t have to call me that anymore,” he muttered under his breath as he nodded at the current Hokage.

“I think it’s sweet,” Mei replied, waving her free hand at the group that turned to greet them.

While Mei issued a warm, calm smile, Kakashi felt her grip on him tighten. He wondered how often she’d buried her nervousness with that smile and gently squeezed her hand again. “They’re all excited that you’re here, Mei. It’ll be fine. I want you to enjoy this too.”

Before they’d gotten much closer to the group, little Himawari came running towards them. “You’re late, Ro-r-ro-roku… Lord Old Man Kakashi!”

Kakashi looked to the rest of the group that waited for them. Hinata looked at him, horrified and embarrassed. Naruto had turned his back to them, bent double and shaking with laughter. Sakura covered her mouth, but couldn’t suppress her mirth beyond that, and beside her stood a smirking Sasuke. Behind them, Sarada and Boruto paused their shuriken practice to look over their shoulders at the commotion.

Kakashi sighed, and that cracked Mei’s composure as well. While she choked back her snickers, he replied to the girl, “You can drop the ‘Lord,’ Himawari. And the ‘Old Man’ while you’re at it.”

Behind his mask, Kakashi smiled. Mei’s hand had relaxed in his, and he was grateful that her tension had been broken; even if it had come at his expense.


	2. He Said

“We’re all so glad you could join us on such short notice, Lady Mei.” Hinata showcased all the polite mannerisms of her upbringing, even while multitasking between her daughter and arranging their picnic. “We’ve been looking forward to having a proper visit with you.”

“I’m glad to be here, thank you for inviting me.” Mei also displayed the best manners she’d acquired throughout her life as she unpacked her and Kakashi’s contributions to the picnic.

“It’s not often that my husband can remain in Konoha for a few days at a time, and whenever he does, we all try to get together like this.” Sakura laid a dish of cherry tomatoes next to the salad she had brought. “It’s a shame that Captain Yamato and Sai aren’t in the village right now, but between Sasuke’s missions, my hospital shifts, Naruto’s duty, and now our children’s schedules, it’s amazing the original Team Seven can get together like this at all.” Sakura’s quick, bright green eyes darted to Hinata, “That _is_ the real Naruto, right?”

“Oh yes, he wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Hinata chuckled, “Today, a clone is in the office with Shikamaru, and I’m sure he’s already figured that out.”

Mei looked over to where Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto stood. The three were talking amongst themselves in between issuing pointers to Sarada and Boruto as they practiced throwing their shuriken. Kakashi raised his eyes to her, and she wondered if he’d positioned himself where he could watch over her. It wouldn’t surprise her if he had, so Mei smiled at him to reassure him that all was well. His eyes creased and his mask shifted around his right cheek, and she could easily imagine his hidden smirk.

“Take this over to Dad, Himawari. Walk carefully and try not to spill anything.” Hinata handed over a full plate of lunch to her daughter.

“Please ask Sarada to come back with you to take lunch to her Papa too,” Sakura instructed as she prepared a plate of lunch for her husband. “What do you think Kaka-sensei would like Lady Mei?”

Mei looked at the spread around them. “I-I can do it.” She hastily grabbed a plate and began to fill it with lunch for Kakashi.

“Boruto, come here and take this to Lord Sixth, please,” Hinata called to her son, and Mei marveled at how gently the other woman could issue commands.

“He says you don’t have to do that for him Lady Mei,” Boruto shouted back at the women.

_‘If the other women are doing it, of course, I have to,’_ Mei thought. Then she silently reminded herself of how little Kakashi knew of the perils of getting to know other women in domestic situations. “I don’t mind,” she called back.

Sarada and Boruto arrived at the same time, and Mei could feel their gazes upon her while she finished arranging Kakashi’s lunch. When she looked up at them, she saw that the boy wore his bold, friendly nature on his face and she couldn’t help but smile back at him as she handed the plate over. Sarada donned a much more serious expression, and her fixed stare didn’t break even as she pushed her glasses up higher on her nose. “You were the Fifth Mizukage.”

“Duh, Sarada. Everyone knows that.” Boruto rolled his eyes before returning to where the men still stood in conversation.

Sarada glanced sideways at the spot Boruto vacated, embarrassed. She rallied quickly though, Mei noted, and after she accepted her father’s lunch from her mother, she said, “I want to be Hokage.”

“That’s an admirable goal,” Mei smiled at her.

Sarada returned the smile. “Would you tell me what it’s like to be a Kage sometime?”

Mei was grateful for the opportunity to prepare her answers for the girl. “Of course.”

Sarada’s smile grew, and she turned on her heel to follow Boruto, passing Himawari as the younger was returning with two huge fistfuls of white wildflowers she’d picked after delivering lunch.

“Himawari, now we have to clean your hands before you eat.” Hinata’s scolding was lost in her laughter as she pulled out a box of moistened towelettes to clean her daughter’s hands. “Put those down, and we’ll make it after lunch.”

“Okay,” Himawari chirped cheerfully and set both of her bouquets down on one of the picnic blankets that were spread out together on the ground. She ran to her mother and extended her hands out to be cleaned, as the other two children returned to gather their own lunches. Boruto grabbed two plates, and Mei was touched that the boy thought to make one for his sister without being asked to.

Once the children were seated with their lunches, Mei, Sakura, and Hinata made plates for themselves and joined Sarada, Boruto, and Himawari on the picnic blankets. Sarada and Boruto dominated the conversation with talk of their experience at Konoha’s Ninja Academy and the friends they attended it with. They continued to talk after everyone had finished eating, while Himawari and Hinata had begun to weave the picked flowers into a circlet.

Every time Mei found herself in the company of children, she felt some measure of pride and satisfaction for her part in the peace that they’d all negotiated and fought so hard for. The most pressing problems the new generation faced was deciding which of their dreams to follow, and it was enough to make so many of her struggles worthwhile. She beamed at the children, and her eyes drifted to where Kakashi still sat with Naruto and Sasuke. He was already looking back at her, with an unreadable, soft expression.

Kakashi suddenly tore his gaze from hers, jerking his head to regard Naruto and her eyes drifted to Kakashi’s untouched plate of food. Worried she’d chosen his lunch incorrectly, Mei tried to push aside her feelings of embarrassment as she made to get up and put together another, different one. She stopped, however, when Sakura addressed her.

“Lady Mei, I hope you don’t think me rude, but there is something I’m dying to ask you.”

Sakura’s cheeks were flushed almost the same shade as her hair. She bit her bottom lip between her teeth, her jade eyes shining with anticipation. “What does Kaka-sensei’s face look like?”

Mei opened her mouth, but Himawari interrupted her before she could make a sound. “Wait! Daddy made me promise!” Then the little girl jumped to her feet and ran to Naruto.

Mei watched as Himawari whispered into her father’s ear. Naruto’s eyes widened, and he stood up immediately. She then came running back, giggling and her father began to follow her. He halted, turned his face slightly to the side where Sasuke sat, then continued walking toward the group. Sasuke glanced quickly at Kakashi before he too stood up and joined them as well.

Mei looked at the crowd that had gathered before her, all of their eyes, except for one Rinnegan, staring intently at her. She looked to Kakashi, but his puzzled expression was of no help to her. Then he raised a hand and gestured to her to stall them as he tugged his mask down to quickly eat his lunch.

The realization of why Kakashi hadn’t eaten dawned on Mei. Relieved, she returned her attention to her audience. “You mean none of you have seen it? After all this time?”

“We’ve tried **everything** , y’know?” Naruto groaned. “We’ve followed him around for days, dressed up as rogue nin and attacked him—that didn’t go well…” his voice trailed off.

“I can’t believe you’ve never seen his face, surely he’s eaten around you?” Mei couldn’t help herself from stretching the joke, though she managed to check her laughter while she delivered it.

“Believe it, we haven’t even then, it’s like—”

“Divine intervention,” Sakura finished. “We even enlisted the help of that one photographer all those years ago, what was his name?”

“Sukea.” Sasuke chimed in.

Mei lowered her face to hide her amusement. She bit her bottom lip to keep from giggling at the image of Kakashi’s preferred disguise when they had first begun traveling to visit each other. She exhaled, composing herself and looked up again.

Kakashi was walking towards them with his mask pulled back in place; covering his bulging cheeks as he chewed what remained of his lunch. At the sight of him, Mei couldn’t hold her laughter in any longer. “He has a good face. It’s one of my favorites actually,” she sputtered.

Everyone turned to look behind them in time to catch Kakashi still chewing. Naruto threw his head back and groaned again. Meanwhile, Sakura dropped her head forward in defeat, and her husband closed his eyes in exasperation.

“What?” Kakashi’s simple question was muffled by the last of his lunch before he swallowed it.

Mei laughed so hard she felt tears come to her eyes, and it set some of the others off as well. Even Hinata was chuckling when she said, “Here. All done,” and handed the crown of flowers to Himawari.

The little girl stood up and approached Mei. “For you,” Himawari said as she placed it on her head.

Mei wiped away the tears that had been infused with a greater happiness than her laughter and pulled the little girl into an embrace. “Thank you,” she whispered and kissed the girl’s cheek.

 

 

A couple more hours passed as the group recalled a few of the most ridiculous missions of their childhood. Mei was happy to learn that she wasn’t the only one to hear these stories for the first time. The Uzumaki children were in stitches at how their father had ‘endeared’ himself to a rare Bikochu Beetle. Sarada’s contagious giggles carried throughout the retelling of an adventure into the shady ninja cat underworld, with its even shadier ruler, Nekomata.

When Himawari began to nod off in her mother’s lap, the group decided it was time to head home. Boruto and Sarada asked Kakashi to watch them practice throwing their shuriken one more time, and Mei assured him that she didn’t mind packing up their share of the picnic. After stowing away all of the food containers they’d brought with them, Mei lifted their picnic blanket off the ground and shook it out when Sasuke approached her.

His face was expressionless, and Mei met his silence while she waited. Sasuke parted his lips, and drew in a breath before uttering, “I’m sorry.”

Although he’d only spoken two words, Mei could appreciate that they were two of the most difficult words for Sasuke to say. “It’s behind us, and it can stay there,” she replied.

Sasuke’s visible eye softened, and he smirked. He nodded at Mei, then turned and walked away from her, as Kakashi was walking toward her. The latter clapped a hand on his former student’s shoulder in a wordless exchange as the two passed each other.

“Everything okay?” Kakashi asked Mei as he lifted their basket from the ground.

“Yes.” Mei smiled at him as she folded the blanket over her arm.

They waved goodbye to the others, and she turned to walk the path they had taken there. Kakashi took her free hand in his. “Let’s take a different way back,” he said and pulled her in the other direction.

Though Kakashi held her hand the entire way, he didn’t speak while they walked. Mei felt the atmosphere between them shift in a way that she couldn’t describe even as she felt it. It was as if the space between them was heavier, waiting. She was so focused on it that she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings until he stopped walking and finally broke the expectant silence between them.

“It was dark the first time we came here, but do you recognize that bridge?”

Mei looked up to see the bridge that had sheltered their first intimate exchange. She felt an intense blush heat her face when she remembered how daring and impetuous she was that night. “Kakashi,” she said his name breathlessly, giggling out a little of her shyness over the memory.

He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. Mei thought she felt him trembling a little as he pulled her against him and whisked her beneath the bridge. Kakashi set her down on her feet at the water’s edge and let go of her to pull his mask down.

His eyes darted between hers, and Mei searched his eyes with the same intensity as he retook her hand. _‘He really is shaking,’_ she thought. “Kakashi, what is it?”

Kakashi’s eyes continued to dance between hers, right up until he spoke.

“I love you, Mei.”


	3. She Said

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (To avoid any confusion) this chapter is a retelling of the same day from Kakashi’s POV.

 “You weren’t as late as you are normally, y’know.”

Sasuke was quick to agree with Naruto’s observation. “Mm.”

“She was nervous, I didn’t want to prolong it.” The truth was the shortest answer that Kakashi could give. He didn’t want Boruto and Sarada to overhear their conversation as they returned to their distance markers to practice throwing shuriken at the targets they’d set up.

Kakashi used the breaks in the conversation to keep an eye on Mei. He had positioned himself where he could easily see her and had watched her unpack the basket they’d brought with them. She seemed to be relaxed, chatting with Hinata and Sakura as they all arranged the various dishes. He lifted his eyes to her again and found her looking at him. She smiled at him, and he was relieved that she was getting on well. He smirked back, knowing she could see it despite his mask.

Once Boruto and Sarada had finished throwing their shuriken and walked to retrieve them, Naruto continued the conversation. “Lady Mei was nervous? About being with us?”

“I can understand why. She wasn’t a teacher like I was, or got to know people like I did. It’s important to her to make a good impression, she said. If the situation were reversed, I would probably feel the same way.”

When Kakashi finished speaking, Naruto and Sasuke shared a brief, knowing look between them. The children were on their way back again, so Kakashi quickly added, “She fretted about having attacked you, Sasuke.”

Sasuke’s eye met Kakashi’s, then he looked down and nodded. “Mm.”

Before Boruto and Sarada could throw another volley of shuriken, Hinata’s voice carried over to where they all stood. “Boruto, come here and take this to Lord Sixth, please.”

The three men looked up to see Himawari coming towards them, carefully carrying a plate of lunch for her father. “That looks good. I hope she doesn’t spill it,” Naruto chuckled. “It looks like the Lady Godaime Mizukage is putting together a plate for you too, Kakashi-sensei.”

“She was the Fifth Mizukage?” Boruto asked.

“Duh, Boruto. Everyone knows that.” Sarada chastised her classmate.

“She really doesn’t have to do that for me,” Kakashi thought aloud.

“He says you don’t have to do that for him Lady Mei,” Boruto called out to the women.

Kakashi had been to plenty of functions where he watched plenty of women participate in this ritual, and he never expected someone to do it for him. He couldn’t deny that he was touched by her consideration and appreciated it, but he didn’t want her to feel obligated to do it. Just as he thought to walk over and make it up for himself, he heard Mei call back, “I don’t mind.”

He knew her well enough to understand that she wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want to. Kakashi stayed where he was as the older children ran to retrieve the prepared lunches, and allowed himself to enjoy Mei’s thoughtful gesture.

Himawari had successfully completed her mission of delivering lunch to her father, and Naruto thanked her, patting her on the head. The little girl turned to Kakashi and asked, “What is Lady Mei’s favorite flower?”

Naruto stepped closer to Kakashi and angled himself so his daughter couldn’t see him speak. “Choose the one you see the most of around here,” he said quietly.

Kakashi pointed to a large cluster of white wildflowers. “She likes those; she kept saying how lovely they are and how lovely spring is in Konoha during her last visit.” Then he stopped himself, wondering why he’d offered more information about Mei, instead of less as a shinobi ought to. Himawari hadn’t waited for him to finish speaking, she’d already run off to pick as many as she could hold. When Kakashi turned around, he found his former students sharing another of those brief, knowing looks between them.

“Here you go, Lord Old Man Kakashi.” Boruto delivered his lunch to him with a snicker, which Naruto cut short with one look. “I mean Lord Sixth,” the boy awkwardly scratched at the back of his head. Then he called to his younger sister, “Hurry up Himawari, it’s time for lunch.”

“Okay!” Himawari had picked two huge fistfuls of the wildflowers that Kakashi had pointed out to her. She ran back to her mother as quickly as her short legs would allow, passing Sarada on her way to deliver lunch to Sasuke.

Kakashi sat between Naruto and Sasuke and set his lunch down on his lap, knowing he would have to wait until an opportunity would present itself for him to eat it. Sarada arrived with her father’s lunch and silently held it out to him. Sasuke accepted it, and set it down on his lap as well. He made a clumsy attempt to pat his daughter’s head as Naruto had. “Thank you… Peanut.”

“Tch! Dad,” Sarada muttered, exasperated before she and Boruto ran off to join the others for lunch.

As the men on either side of him ate their lunches, Kakashi ignored his and watched Mei enjoy hers, instead. The serene smile he’d first seen her give to the group when they arrived had been replaced with a brighter, genuine one. He caught himself smiling whenever she did.

His thoughts were interrupted by Naruto’s chuckle. “You’ve got it _bad_ , Kakashi-sensei.”

“Mm,” Sasuke smirked.

“What?” Kakashi directed the question to either of them in his bewilderment.

Naruto brushed the crumbs from his lunch off his lap. “You’ve barely taken your eyes off of Lady Mei.”

“So, what? I want to make sure she’s having a good time. Look—would you two quit doing that?” Kakashi spat out the last question when his companions shared yet another of those brief, knowing looks between them.

Sasuke closed his eyes and smiled while Naruto chuckled. “Sorry, Kakashi-sensei. It’s just obvious to us how you feel. We’ve both been there.”

“Been where?” Kakashi was growing uncomfortable with this change in roles.

“You love her,” Sasuke answered.

Kakashi looked down at the plate of lunch on his lap, to hide his agitation. “I-I mean, I—” he cut himself off.

“It’s okay, Kakashi-sensei. We freaked out too.” Naruto consoled him without laughing, and Kakashi couldn’t decide if that made it better or worse. “I mean, we’re not trying to tell you how you feel about her, but you’re acting a lot like we did when we figured it out. We’re happy for you, y’know?”

Kakashi kept his eyes down. The choices Mei had made when she prepared his lunch stared back up at him, and he liked every single item she’d included. “What did you do?” He asked his former students.

“Well I don’t know about _Teme_ over there, but I told Hinata the next time I saw her.” Naruto chuckled softly to himself. “It gets easier after the first time you say it. Well, what I mean is, you shouldn’t just go throwing ‘I love you,’ around. You should only say it when you mean it, and if you feel it, then you should say it.”

Kakashi considered Naruto’s words, along with the fact that the other man had always been more open and optimistic than himself. Sasuke cleared his throat, which these days meant he was about to speak more than a few syllables.

“I asked Sakura to walk with me. I took her to a specific bench where something important had happened between us, and I told her there. I thought it would help to prove that I meant it. She asked if she could come with me when I left the village again, and that’s when I agreed to it. While we traveled together if we came near a place where I’d… hurt her, I’d take her there to apologize and tell her that I loved her again. The third time I did that, she said she loved me too.”

“She didn’t return the sentiment the first time?” Kakashi was surprised but proud of her. Sakura had always been open about her feelings for Sasuke, and he felt she’d earned the right to make him sweat it out. However, he needed more intel before he made any decisions concerning Mei. “What did Hinata do?”

“She fainted.” Naruto laughed a little. “She hadn’t done that in a while around me, so I was surprised when she did. I tried to catch her but I wasn’t quick enough, and she bumped her head. I felt awful, I was so worried, but when she woke up, she looked right at me and said it back to me. It feels good to hear it too, y’know?”

“Mm,” Sasuke agreed, and Kakashi noted the content expression his face.

“When I look at Hinata now, I see what I’d hoped to see. I hope the same will happen for you, Kakashi-sensei, but if it doesn’t, it’s still worth the risk of being hurt when you tell her for the first time.”

Kakashi looked to the group that was assembled on their picnic blankets and focused his gaze on Mei. It wasn’t like those three particular words hadn’t crossed his mind when he was with her, they’d even almost made it to his lips. He felt the tension leave his shoulders as he observed how happy she was at that moment, beaming at the others surrounding her. Her gaze drifted up to him, and when their eyes met, her radiant smile grew.

“Make sure you keep a hand on her when you tell her in case she faints, y’know?”

Kakashi suddenly tore his gaze from hers, jerking his head to regard Naruto. Behind him, he heard Sasuke add, “Or she might cry when you tell her, be ready for that.”

Kakashi sighed, hoping his former students were done imparting their wisdom to him. He looked back at the larger group which had gone quieter, then suddenly Himawari shouted, “Wait! Daddy made me promise!” The little girl jumped to her feet and ran to Naruto.

She bent over and covered her mouth as she whispered into her father’s ear. Naruto’s eyes widened, and he stood up immediately. Himawari went running back, giggling and her father began to follow her. He halted and turned his face slightly to the side to speak over his shoulder. “Sasuke,” was all he said, but he’d said it in all seriousness before he continued walking toward the group. Sasuke glanced quickly at Kakashi before he too stood up and joined them as well.

Kakashi looked at Mei, who appeared to be as confused as he was. He wasn’t about to waste the opportunity that had finally presented itself though, so he raised a hand and gestured to her to stall them as he tugged his mask down to quickly eat his lunch.

Kakashi observed the others, ready to pull his mask up if any of them made the slightest move to turn around. However, their attention was riveted on Mei, and he was curious as to how she managed it. He rushed through the meal, not wanting to waste a single bite of what she’d chosen for him.

He stuffed the last morsel into his too-full mouth and yanked the mask back up over his nose as he stood and walked toward the group. Naruto shifted his stance, and it granted Kakashi a view of Mei just as she looked up and saw him, bursting into laughter when she did. “He has a good face. It’s one of my favorites actually,” she sputtered.

Everyone turned to look behind them in time to catch Kakashi still chewing. Naruto threw his head back and groaned. Meanwhile, Sakura dropped her head forward in defeat, and her husband closed his eyes in exasperation.

“What?” Kakashi’s simple question was muffled by the last of his lunch before he swallowed it.

It seemed that was all that was needed to push the lot of them into hysterics. Even Hinata was chuckling when she turned to her daughter and said, “Here. All done,” and handed her a woven crown of the flowers he’d pointed out.

The little girl stood up and approached Mei. “For you,” Himawari said as she placed it on her head.

And as Mei pulled the little girl into an embrace and kissed her cheek, Kakashi wondered why he was still waiting to say those three particular words to her.

 

 

A couple more hours passed as the group recalled a few of the most ridiculous missions of their childhood. Kakashi sat near enough to Mei to feel her body shake every time she laughed, though his mind was too occupied with forming a plan to spare more attention than that. Every time he looked at Naruto, or Sasuke he’d find them nodding, or smirking at him. Sakura smiled encouragement at him whenever she caught his eye, and even Hinata regarded him more warmly than usual. Whether they intended it or not, he interpreted it as acceptance and approval of Mei.

When Himawari began to nod off in her mother’s lap, the group decided it was time to head home. Boruto and Sarada asked Kakashi to watch them practice throwing their shuriken one more time, and Mei assured him that she didn’t mind packing up their share of the picnic. He was so distracted that he praised the two students more than he’d ever praised their parents, even though they missed the targets twice as often as they hit them.

As soon as they’d run out of weapons to throw, Kakashi bid them goodbye and turned on his heel. He saw Sasuke approach Mei as she shook out their picnic blanket, and slowed his gait slightly to give the younger man an extra moment to speak to her.

He continued to walk toward Mei, watching as Sasuke nodded at her, then turned and walked away from her. Sasuke looked up at him with a softened expression and a gentle smile. Kakashi clapped a hand on his former student’s shoulder in a wordless thank you as the two passed each other.

“Everything okay?” He asked as he lifted their basket from the ground.

“Yes.” Mei smiled at him as she folded the blanket over her arm.

They waved goodbye to the others, and she turned to walk the path they had taken there. Kakashi took her free hand in his. “Let’s take a different way back,” he said and pulled her in the other direction.

Though Kakashi held her hand the entire way, he didn’t speak while they walked. His mind was crowded with the advice from his former students, and he struggled with the doubt that Mei didn’t return his feelings. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice reminded him of how quick she was to overthink everything, and he knew he had to hurry to his destination before she would worry that something was wrong. It was a good thing his feet knew the way from taking him there so often. His mind was juggling so many thoughts that he didn’t pay attention to his surroundings until he realized he was there. He stopped walking and finally broke the expectant silence between them.

“It was dark the first time we came here, but do you recognize that bridge?”

Mei looked up to see the bridge that had sheltered their first intimate exchange. He smiled at the girlish blush that took over her face. “Kakashi,” she said his name breathlessly, giggling.

He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. Kakashi felt himself trembling, and he was sure she felt it too as he pulled her against him and whisked her beneath the bridge. He set her down on her feet at the water’s edge and let go of her to pull his mask down.

His eyes darted between hers, looking for any trace of the tears that Sasuke had warned him of, and he retook her hand with his shaking one, as Naruto had suggested. Mei searched his eyes with the same intensity as she asked, “Kakashi, what is it?”

Kakashi knew he wasn’t a romantic man, and there were so many words he wished he knew to say as his eyes continued to dance between hers. He also knew that he would soon lose his nerve, so he settled on the words he wanted to hear the most from her in return.

“I love you, Mei.”

Mei closed her eyes but didn’t faint, and when she opened them again, there were no tears to be found. She smiled instead, and let the blanket fall from her other arm so she could cup his face with that hand. He leaned into her touch.

“I love you too, Kakashi.”

Kakashi audibly released the breath he’d held without realizing, and felt his muscles relax as relief poured over him. It was quickly followed by a warmth that sprang from his core and radiated outward all the way to his extremities. He smiled back at Mei, dropped the basket he’d held and covered her hand that cradled his face with his.

He closed his eyes and turned his face to kiss her palm. Her words echoed in his head, quieting the last of his doubts and tension, and he knew that they would never fade from his memory.

**Author's Note:**

> There is a new KakaMei Discord server! Please send me a PM if you'd like an invite to join:  
> [Ohayohimawari](https://ohayohimawari.tumblr.com/)


End file.
